OK commuter

On the way to work I have to listen to something gentle, as I'm always still half asleep. Homesick has lovely quiet guitar harmonies by two groovy Norwegian dudes. It sets you up for a nice and chilled-out day. Once I've woken up a bit, I have to music that makes me walk fast. Gravenhurst are brilliantly depressing, like a dark Jose Gonzales, but The Velvet Cell is more upbeat and perfect for steaming past people on the Underground. Eleven minutes of Swedish prog-death metal by Opeth takes me on a journey with wolves and warlocks. It's a struggle to keep myself from air guitaring on a packed train!

On the way home, I like an epic rock power ballad, like Guns N' Roses' Civil War. It's got everything - and Axl Rose tackling the weighty issue of war makes me chuckle. For that leaving-work feeling, Tim McGraw is perfect - contemporary country music with funny lyrics.